Other Group

Blue Jean Nation

Type:

Activist Organization

President:

Michael McCabe

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Blue Jean Nation was a left-of-center activist organization that claimed to be independent. 1 The organization was largely Wisconsin-based, and it set up an organizing committee in each of the state’s congressional districts. Its founder and leader, Michael McCabe, is a left-of-center activist who has worked as executive director of Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, an organization that advocates for restrictions on politically-related speech. 2

While the movement officially described itself as nonpartisan, it had a goal of encouraging the Democratic Party to move further to the left. McCabe described the Republican Party as the “scary party” that did the bidding of libertarian businessmen Charles and David Koch (the “Koch Brothers”). In contrast, he described the Democratic Party as the “scared party.” 3

Background

Blue Jean Nation was an ostensibly independent organization that ultimately promoted left-of-center political views. The claimed purpose of the organization was to work within the two-party system to transform one of the major parties into a party that reflected its viewpoints. 4

The name of the organization came from a book that was authored by its founder and leader, Wisconsin-based left-wing operative Michael McCabe. McCabe wrote a book called in 2014 called Blue Jeans in High Places: The Coming Makeover of American Politics. He called the book a “blueprint” and not an academic exercise. The organization was founded in 2015. 5

The organization was largely Wisconsin-based. The organization setup organizing committees in each of Wisconsin’s congressional districts. 6 The organization did its work through community outreach, community organizing, public policy advocacy, social action, and civic education and achievement. 7

Advocacy

Despite its claims of political independence, the organization struck a decidedly left-of-center tone. McCabe, during his speaking tours of Wisconsin, would slam the Republican Party as the “scary party” that was controlled by libertarian businessmen Charles and David Koch (the “Koch Brothers”). He also attacked the Tea Party movement as a fake movement that was funded by the wealthy. 8

When McCabe would attack the Democratic Party, he would often criticize the party from the left. Among the viewpoints he advocated was getting rid of university tuition. 9

In 2015, Wisconsin Democrats replaced pro-establishment statewide leadership with more left-of-center candidates. One of the reasons credited for such a turn of statewide party leadership was the influence of Blue Jean Nation among the party’s membership. Many delegates to the state party convention wore Blue Jean Nation buttons and/or T-shirts. 10

Leadership

Michael McCabe was the founder and leader of Blue Jean Nation. Before he founded the organization, he was the executive director of the left-of-center Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, which advocates for restrictions on political speech. 11 McCabe eventually launched an unsuccessful bid for governor of Wisconsin in 2018 as a Democrat. 12

The organization had an eight-member board of directors and a statewide organizing committee of nearly four dozen people. 13

Funding

Blue Jean Nation is likely a defunct organization as of February 2023. While the organization was a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization, ProPublica’s database of tax-exempt organization data stated that it no longer appears on the list of IRS tax-exempt organizations. 14

References

  1. Opoien, Jessie. “Mike McCabe Launches Blue Jean Nation, Aims to Restructure Partisan Politics.” The Cap Times, April 6, 2015. https://captimes.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/mike-mccabe-launches-blue-jean-nation-aims-to-restructure-partisan-politics/article_5dc2103b-0f4e-56c8-b056-e8a931979313.html
  2. Opoien, Jessie. “Mike McCabe Launches Blue Jean Nation, Aims to Restructure Partisan Politics.” The Cap Times, April 6, 2015. https://captimes.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/mike-mccabe-launches-blue-jean-nation-aims-to-restructure-partisan-politics/article_5dc2103b-0f4e-56c8-b056-e8a931979313.html
  3. Comp, Nathan J. “Blue Jeans to the Rescue.” The Progressive, August 27, 2015. https://progressive.org/magazine/blue-jeans-rescue/.
  4.  [1]Opoien, Jessie. “Mike McCabe Launches Blue Jean Nation, Aims to Restructure Partisan Politics.” The Cap Times, April 6, 2015. https://captimes.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/mike-mccabe-launches-blue-jean-nation-aims-to-restructure-partisan-politics/article_5dc2103b-0f4e-56c8-b056-e8a931979313.html.
  5. Opoien, Jessie. “Mike McCabe Launches Blue Jean Nation, Aims to Restructure Partisan Politics.” The Cap Times, April 6, 2015. https://captimes.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/mike-mccabe-launches-blue-jean-nation-aims-to-restructure-partisan-politics/article_5dc2103b-0f4e-56c8-b056-e8a931979313.html.
  6. Opoien, Jessie. “Mike McCabe Launches Blue Jean Nation, Aims to Restructure Partisan Politics.” The Cap Times, April 6, 2015. https://captimes.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/mike-mccabe-launches-blue-jean-nation-aims-to-restructure-partisan-politics/article_5dc2103b-0f4e-56c8-b056-e8a931979313.html
  7. Opoien, Jessie. “Mike McCabe Launches Blue Jean Nation, Aims to Restructure Partisan Politics.” The Cap Times, April 6, 2015. https://captimes.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/mike-mccabe-launches-blue-jean-nation-aims-to-restructure-partisan-politics/article_5dc2103b-0f4e-56c8-b056-e8a931979313.html.
  8. Comp, Nathan J. “Blue Jeans to the Rescue.” The Progressive, August 27, 2015. https://progressive.org/magazine/blue-jeans-rescue/.
  9. Comp, Nathan J. “Blue Jeans to the Rescue.” The Progressive, August 27, 2015. https://progressive.org/magazine/blue-jeans-rescue/.
  10. Comp, Nathan J. “Blue Jeans to the Rescue.” The Progressive, August 27, 2015. https://progressive.org/magazine/blue-jeans-rescue/.
  11. Opoien, Jessie. “Mike McCabe Launches Blue Jean Nation, Aims to Restructure Partisan Politics.” The Cap Times, April 6, 2015. https://captimes.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/mike-mccabe-launches-blue-jean-nation-aims-to-restructure-partisan-politics/article_5dc2103b-0f4e-56c8-b056-e8a931979313.html.
  12.  “McCabe Files Paperwork to Set up Gubernatorial Campaign.” News8000, January 24, 2023. https://www.news8000.com/news/politics/elections/mccabe-files-paperwork-to-set-up-gubernatorial-campaign/article_5e132524-1573-51d5-8abb-2c0a0e45a210.html.
  13. Comp, Nathan J. “Blue Jeans to the Rescue.” The Progressive, August 27, 2015. https://progressive.org/magazine/blue-jeans-rescue/.
  14. “Blue Jean Nation Inc – Nonprofit Explorer.” ProPublica. Accessed February 6, 2023. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/473108192.
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